Dolomiti – Italy

My beloved Cavria – Doss del Sabion, Madonna di Campiglio and the Dolomiti di Brenta in the view. This is the view from Cavria, our beloved historical chalet at about 1500meters above Carisolo. My great great grand father and brothers built this chalet in 1890 as a place to take animals to summer pasture. In the 50 and 60s when many people emigrated across the world, places like this fell into disrepair. I’m proud to say that now Cavria has been restored to it’s former glory and then some – while maintaining the rustic dignity that makes such places special. My father has been rebuilding the place over the last 20 years and I’ve been proud contribute.

Dolomiti di Brenta from le Corniselle

This is a cool photo. It’s taken from the slopes of Pinzolo ski area. If you look at the snow covered meadow in the center of the photo, you’ll be looking at Cavria, which is family’s historical summer pasture and mountain retreat. It’s here that my dad spent a lot of his childhood taking care of the family’s cows and running them up to high pasture. In the last 20 years of so, he’s rebuilt the old fallen down granite building, and inspired the other extended clan members to do the same. It’s now an incredible retreat in the summer and a cool place to snow shoe up to in the winter.

Brenta from Patascoss

Nambrun

Cavria

Lac di Germenega

Cavria from Pra Rodont

Pass del Forcel

San Giulian

Cavria – The View From Our Window

Believe it or not, that’s the view from the window of our hut in Cavria. It’s looking out on the Dolomiti di Brenta. Towards the left you can see the Groste’ which is the high area of the Madonna di Campiglio ski area which is roughly equivalent to Italy’s Aspen.

The view from our Baita.

Here’s the panoramic vista. Click on the photo.

Our house is the big one on the left. It was pretty much completely fallen in after being abandoned for 40 years, when the family left and went to America. There’s a mural of bears on it because in the post war period there was purportedly a Russian “professor” who kept a bear in it for the purposes or study, but it sounds strange to me and I think the guy was probably a weirdo and circus crank. That house is incredible. It’s about 30 feet high and made of huge granite slabs. The animals lived in the stalls below and the living quarters were upstairs. Some of my dad’s favorite memories are of being up here in the summer with the extending family coming and going.

Cornisel. P.S. No color enhancement

This lake is up and over the mountain from Cavria. It’s such a beautiful spot. The lake used to be stocked with trout from fly fisherman.